Today, large systems that sell directly to utilities dominate. They are expected to account for more than 70 percent of new solar added to the grid this year, according to industry research firm GTM Research.

A major difference among the studies is whether they consider as part of the equation the environmental benefits of solar, which can be difficult to quantify.

The first Taiwan-made solar energy charging station for electric bicycles is to become operational in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, in spring next year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.

Starting next year, Sistine Solar will begin selling “SolarSkin” panels that blend in with the texture of a roof by mimicking tiles, slate, wood shingles and other materials. Want a truly green roof? Sistine Solar panels can be made to look like grass.

The name says it all: With its fan-deployed elements, the solar module Smart Flower Pop + like a flower acts. And just like a flower tends towards the sun, does the invention of Austria. With sunrise unfolds the 18 square meters of solar panels. Motors on two axes align the monocrystalline photovoltaic elements in the 90-degree angle to the sun. Thus, the energy yield is higher than that of fixed-roof systems. The manufacturer speaks of up to 40 percent more yield.

The cooling and self-cleaning contribute to higher electricity. Since the "petals" are well ventilated, no heat build form. Remove brushes on the underside of the solar modules at each opening and closing deposits. An anemometer is from 54 km / h Wind speed command for the change in the horizontal safety position. From 63 km / h Wind speed solar elements go completely one, just like in the night mode.

Smart Flower Pop + has a nominal output of 2.31 kWp. In stand not only an AC inverter is housed, but also batteries cells with either 2.3 or 4.6 kWh of storage capacity. The latter version is intended for remote homes that are not connected to a public power grid. "Independence is an essential issue for us. Here, we are not only important to produce electricity as possible, but also the efficient use, "says CEO Alexander Swatek.

According to the manufacturer provides a Smart Flower vary by region 3400-6200 kWh per year. It could in itself in Central Europe the average needs of a family of four blankets (4,000 kWh). To import the price of around 15,000 euros again, but it would need the possibility in well connected regions not more than 15 years - in remote areas it pays off more quickly.

25 square shadow free space needed

The "petal" has in the extended state has a diameter of 4.74 meters. For his movements a Smart Flower requires a shadow-free space of 25 square meters in the garden. The installation of the solar system takes place within one hour. The Smart Flower is fixed either with 1.60-meter ground screws or on a concrete foundation. Thus, disassembly is possible. The system comes easy when you move from a rented house with.

How simple it all is to work, also shows this promotional video: [ED: Video missing]

Designed and manufactured the Smart Flower Pop + in Austria from the Smart Flower Energy Technology GmbH. The was founded in 2010 and already received the Austrian Sonderstaatsspreis innovation "composite E-Novation Award" and the "Austria's Born Global Champion" Award of Commerce. The Smart Flower solar system is also available without batteries. The version Pop-e is designed as e-charging station for electric vehicles.

Newz from USA. "The Obama Administration wants to make solar energy available to every American regardless of income. In that spirit, the White House just announced a partnership with six federal agencies – the Clean Energy Savings For All Initiative – to bring 1 gigawatt (GW) of solar to low- and moderate- income families by 2020. The goal is a tenfold increase over the president’s initial target set in his Climate Action Plan, which called for 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy on federally-assisted affordable housing by 2020."

A solar-powered device developed by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne is replicating what plants and bacteria do with photosynthesis. Although it doesn't resemble a leaf exactly, it should be almost as environmentally friendly.

In a process called electrochemical water splitting, the scientists use commercial solar cells to generate hydrogen and oxygen by passing an electrical current through water. The process creates a hydrogen fuel, which is a much cleaner, sustainable form of energy than those that involve carbon because it creates no carbon dioxide.

With their machine, the researchers have recently set a new energy efficiency world record for solar fuels. The machine can produce hydrogen fuel using an artificial version of photosynthesis at more than 22% energy efficiency, surpassing the previous record of 18%. In most plants, the energy efficiency level is typically between 1% and 2%, he said.

Got those folks at Harvard beat (mentioned earlier in this thread w/a system that runs "only" about 10% efficient).

The Masdar Institute-MIT breakthrough involves a two-layered solar cell designed as a “step cell” that increase conversion of solar energy, but at a much lower cost than existing multilayered solar technology.

“We apply liquid coatings to glass and plastic surfaces at ambient pressure, and dry these coatings at low temperature to produce transparent films,” Conklin continued. “We repeat these processes, and then collectively these coatings — and thus the glass and plastic surfaces — generate electricity.”

Of these coatings, the most important is the so-called “Active Layer,” through which electricity is generated by the absorption of light, and the transparent conductors, which allow the electricity to be extracted. “[The] coatings are primarily organic, primarily from carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen,” Conklin said. “We are constantly refining each of the layers to improve on the power we’re able to extract from these coatings and enhance their manufacturability.”

The High Concentration PhotoVoltaic Thermal (HCPVT) system can concentrate the sun’s radiation 2,000 times and convert 80 percent of it into useful energy, generating up to 12 kilowatts of electrical power and 20 kilowatts of heat on a sunny day—enough to power several average homes. Oh, and it can also produce clean, fresh water as a result of the process used to cool the solar cells!

Now, the latest data show that the continued decrease in solar prices is unlikely to slow down anytime soon, with total installed prices dropping by 5 percent for rooftop residential systems, and 12 percent for larger utility-scale solar farms.

Within the market for distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, installed prices in 2015 declined by $0.20-per-watt (W) or 5% year-over-year for residential systems, by $0.30/W (7%) for smaller non-residential systems, and by $0.30/W (9%) for larger non-residential systems. Prices for utility-scale PV systems that came online in 2015 fell by $0.30/W (12%) from the prior year. Preliminary data for the first six months of 2016 suggest that prices have continued to fall within most states and market segments.

The Masdar Institute-MIT breakthrough involves a two-layered solar cell designed as a “step cell” that increase conversion of solar energy, but at a much lower cost than existing multilayered solar technology.

Hi all, 1st post. I have a 2000 watt motor for my touring bike. I use solar panels to charge when I stop for lunch and there are no AC connections to be found. I use a 300 watt fold out solar panel that I built a special pannier for for my front rack.

It uses a DC to DC charge converter to bring the 24V from the panels to 58 volts. In reality, the panels with full sun at 11am or so produce about 250 watts. It has fully charged my 58V 15AH battery in around 3 hours. Wall charger will do it in 2h:20m. The dc to dc charge convert is 95% efficient and much better way to charge from a panel then converting to AC and then DC.

I finished my first bike trip from Sacramento to SF, then down the 1 to LA. Total miles were 593 and took 12 days. But, half the time it was over cast by the ocean forcing me to have a long lunch in a restaurant while charging.

^^ Very jealous. Thought? To add to bike a wind break/shield up front, and just to leave your panels plastered overtop in the sunlight all day (and night?) long. Weigh much? Have accumulated some plastic coroplast local election signs. V. light weight by themselves.

LockH wrote:^^ Very jealous. Thought? To add to bike a wind break/shield up front, and just to leave your panels plastered overtop in the sunlight all day (and night?) long. Weigh much? Have accumulated some plastic coroplast local election signs. V. light weight by themselves.

Maybe?

Folded that 300 watt panel is equal to a 4x8 sheet of plywood. It would be difficult to ride with it open to charge. Instead of having a small solar panel on it all the time hoping to get a few small watts I worked it into my lunch break while on tour. 90 minute lunch break I can collet close to 400 watts.

All of my electronic devices are all USB rechargeable. So when I hit the camp site at night I use the 52V battery and use another Dc to DC converter to step down to 12 volts. I then use a cigarette lighter attachment to charge all of my USB devices. I use a 6 port USB charger that connects to the cigarette lighter, there are also 2 extra ports on the cigarette lighter adaptor.

I sold my house last year and built my ultimate touring /bug out vehicle. Next February I set off on a year long trip across the states and into Europe.